World of Warcraft Hidden Worlds

[Evil Avatar]

Shacknews.com (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/38955) is reporting that 1Up.com has posted an article (http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3144186), taking a look at some of the in-development areas of Blizzard's popular World of Warcraft MMORPG.

They include Developer Island, which appears to be mainly a goof-around area for Blizzard staff but also house some interesting architecture suggesting Naga structures; The Emerald Dream, an unfinished Night Elf spirit world; and The Caverns of Time, which seems to be a celestial portal to various places and, uh, times.

[MacDuff]

I'm really excited about the idea of seeing Tanaris, having read Lord of the Clans. Maybe a crazy high level quest involves Thrall sending you on a vision quest into his past.

I wonder how Blizzard feels about people weasling their way into these areas. I'm sure it violates some paragraph in the Liscense Agreement. Blizzard is notorious for cracking down hard on infringments, although I can't see how this could be interpreted as "ruining the experience of other players".

[Nameback]

I really liked this article, anyone actually see these for real?

[Tricky Thumb]

Quel'thala and Dalaran, if those two places were somehow visit-able I'd wet my trousers.

[A-Team]

I'm really excited about the idea of seeing Tanaris, having read Lord of the Clans. Maybe a crazy high level quest involves Thrall sending you on a vision quest into his past.

I wonder how Blizzard feels about people weasling their way into these areas. I'm sure it violates some paragraph in the Liscense Agreement. Blizzard is notorious for cracking down hard on infringments, although I can't see how this could be interpreted as "ruining the experience of other players".
The areas you see in 1UP's article are impossible to get to at this point online, which means that you can't violate the EULA/ToS. That's not to say that these aren't accessible in the past, but Blizzard was quick to stop people from traveling to Developer's Island when they found out people were doing it.

As far as checking them out offline, you could technically do it and not get into trouble. However, if you edit the client-side files that you have to crack open to see these areas, then you might have to reinstall the game/re-patch.

Probably more of an answer than you were expecting, but basically accessing these areas online is against the ToS and accessing them offline is something they can't stop. (P.S. - They are banning users over on the official boards for linking to the 1UP article or any related articles).

[Madhatter45]

This was on a G4 show months ago. It showed them glitching the game to get into the areas. It was pretty interesting stuff. Some of the areas are undeniably cool and one would hope they make it into the game sooner or later.

[Major Scud]

My little brother took his rogue to the caverns of time, there was some trick where you could get there as a ghost and look around. He said it was really cool.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

(P.S. - They are banning users over on the official boards for linking to the 1UP article or any related articles).


Yikes, that's a little harsh. So much for freedom of speech...

[Voodoo]

Yikes, that's a little harsh. So much for freedom of speech...

I wasn't aware that Blizzard is an extension of the US Government.

[noxa]

These shots can be grabbed using something like http://wowmapview.sourceforge.net/ - it lets you pick any world map and fly around it. It's looking pretty good now, too. It's a nice way to look at dungeons and plan things out, as well as see things you can't get to yet :)

[Rirath]

These shots can be grabbed using something like http://wowmapview.sourceforge.net/ - it lets you pick any world map and fly around it. It's looking pretty good now, too.

Dang it, just removed the game today thinking I wouldn't need it for a good while...
Now you give me this fun toy.

[Savok]

(P.S. - They are banning users over on the official boards for linking to the 1UP article or any related articles).
Thanks for the constant raping of my ass, Blizz.

[steve]

Thanks for the constant raping of my ass, Blizz.

Do you expect them to allow you release info about future content on their own web forum? :rolleyes:

Anyway, there was a great user post on the official forums about future instances, but I'm not able to find it anymore due to the crappy search function. www.wowguru.com has some previews though (preview section on the left sidebar).

[Savok]

I expect them to let people talk about (with warnings for spoilers) what THEY put into the game themselves. Don't want us playing with your secret zones or even talking about them? Great, DON'T STICK THEM IN THE FUCKING GAME. You stick this shit in the code with what is it now? 4 million? It's not going to stay hidden dipshits.

Delete the posts, fine, but banning? Come the fuck on.

[Chimpbot]

Yikes, that's a little harsh. So much for freedom of speech...

Since the board is privately owned, they have full and complete control over what can and cannot be said on the board. The same goes for EA and every other privately owned forum on the internet.

It's Blizzard's game and it's Blizzard's board; if they want to ban people for posting links to articles about future aspects of their game, then they are fully in the right to do so.
Do I agree with it? No, absolutely not. That sort of thing is one of the numerous reasons I stopped visiting the WoW boards(and playing the game until just recently...).
I don't agree with the harshness of their punishment for sneaking around in unfinished areas, but I fully understand why they do it. It's their property and they have the right to do whatever they want with it.

[steve]

I expect them to let people talk about (with warnings for spoilers) what THEY put into the game themselves. Don't want us playing with your secret zones or even talking about them? Great, DON'T STICK THEM IN THE FUCKING GAME. You stick this shit in the code with what is it now? 4 million? It's not going to stay hidden dipshits.

Delete the posts, fine, but banning? Come the fuck on.

Wow, I think your post could use some more curse words. Regarding secret zones still in the game: Browsing your game build for assets that are not used yet will undoubtly create quite an overhead, especially with an evolving game like WoW. And some things like developer island probably can't be easily seperated from the rest of the game as the GMs will probably run a client similar to the customers, with increased options/possibilities.

In addition, remember all the whiners swarming the WoW boards (about 80% of the population). So an unfinished zone is discovered and posted there. However, finally the designers decide to scrap that zone altogether. Imagine all the forum uproar "bl1zzard Suxxx!1!!" "give me that zone or I will cancel my account!" That's what the forums really need - more drama :rolleyes: No wonder they want to keep it down from the start.

[Savok]

Because I'm angry at Blizzard and at myself for going back to WoW and loving it (when it's working like a real game, and not lagging or down or some other damn bug).

And really, that's Blizzard's problem, they leave it in there for 4 million people to find, it's gonna be found. Also:

Shitcock

[steve]

And really, that's Blizzard's problem, they leave it in there for 4 million people to find, it's gonna be found.

Sure it's their problem, so they are banning folks trying to solve the problem. whether or not that's a good solution - *meh* /shrug

Also:

Shitcock

lol...you're a crazy person!

[Savok]

The solution is just do and say nothing. They left it in the game, big whoop, start banning people and you get the attention of normal folk.

[Voodoo]

Here is a great solution for Blizzard coming from a guy who used to run multiple persistant world servers for NWN...

Don't post test content into live servers or client files!!! If the GM's use a specific client, update only theirs. There are simple solutions to this that the NWN community does every day with persistant worlds. Testing and building new content was almost an everyday occurance for me and I never added that content to the live servers.

Sure the content may already be in the client, but why?! Don't stream the new content if the person isn't logging in as a GM account, DUH!

Much better solution than banning people.

[derjester]

I agree and disagree. If they had greater for sight they could've done something like steam, where files are preloaded but encrypted and waiting for launch day for the content to be unlocked. That would also require a more persistent client that is always checking instead of just checking when you log into the game.
I can also see that they don't to have large chunks of code taken out of the game jsut because they don't want people to see what's coming, or what shouldn't be accessed. Rockstar didn't want anyone to see the crap minnigame unlocked by the hot coffee mod, but also didn't want to remove a large chunk of code and delay and already delayed game.
Meh, I'm content wait for the content to be finished and unlocked instead of clamouring for the next screen shot of some unfinished content that'll probably change.

[netcraazzy]

That article was pretty brief, they didn't really mention the huge unfinished instance in Tanaris. The only unfinished content that I ever accessed is old ironforge. Don't know if anybody here has been there but it's kind of cool because it's like a big underground area that’s under ironforge. I'm not sure if you can get to it anymore but here's how I did it.

Basically what you do is stand in the doorway to the king’s throne room in ironforge and face the great forge. Now jump in the big lava pit to the left of the great forge and then swim to the edge closest to the king’s throne room and die. Then once you are a ghost run back into ironforge and into the throne room. Facing the great forge from inside the throne room the big door to the left is actually hiding a passage that you can walk through while you are dead. You go through the door and if you timed it right when you died then your corps should be close enough in the lava pit that you can then res in the passage. Now just run down the spiraling path and you'll get to a big room with several inaccessible doors, that's old ironforge. You'll have to hearth to get out though so make sure your hearthstone isn't in cooldown.